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English
Pronunciation
Verb
say it all (third-person singular simple present says it all, present participle saying it all, simple past and past participle said it all)
- (idiomatic) To express the essential characteristics of a person, thing, or situation in a concise, well-crafted turn of phrase or in some other pithy manner.[1]
1987 May 3, Thomas J. Knudson, “Montana Grapples with High Worker Insurance”, in New York Times, retrieved 4 June 2015:"One Idaho logger told my sons, ‘We're stealing your lunch,’" said Connie M. Wood, owner of the Topper Wood Trucking Company in Libby. "That seems to say it all."
- (idiomatic) To convey information implicitly in a non-verbal way.
2004 February 13, Denise Pearson, “And they say romance is dead...”, in Guardian, UK, retrieved 4 June 2015:The look on his face said it all. He was terrified!
2015 May 30, Helen Carson, “Pic of the week: Downer... Rory struggles on home soil”, in Belfast Telegraph, retrieved 4 June 2015:Rory McIlroy looked downcast . . . his body language saying it all, head down and shoulders slumped, he is a picture of bitter disappointment.
Synonyms
- (express essential characteristics concisely): nail it
- (convey information implicitly): speak volumes
Derived terms
Translations
to sum up the characteristics of someone or thing in a pithy manner.
See also
References
- ^ Cf. William Safire (New York Times, May 20, 1984): "To say it all means ‘to reveal the essence’ or ‘to signal the bottom line,’ as if what small amount has been said or shown is a synecdoche for all that could possibly exist on the subject."
Further reading